The Gauteng Social Development MEC Morakane Mosupyoe has reminded the Department about Batho Pele philosophy and called on department’s officials to prioritise citizens and not allow bureaucratic processes to hinder service delivery.
MEC said this when addressing Department’s Senior Management during the opening of MEC Strategic Planning Meeting.

She said the systems were meant to enhance government service delivery offering to the public.

MEC Mosupyoe also encouraged the department to break the silo mentality that is often prevalent in government, where citizens are sent from pillar to post in search of basic services.

MEC was also concerned about impact of Covid-19 on women. "The Covid-19 pandemic threatens to jeopardise progress on the gender equality, as women have suffered the most in so far as job losses are
concerned."

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) women employment declined by 5% in 2020 compared with 3.9% for men. MEC also said this must be a cause for concern for our department, because part of our duty is to ensure that there is social protection of women and children.

"What these facts tell us is that we will see gender-based violence cases increase and shelters for women increasingly filled, putting pressure on all our programs from Victim Empowerment to Welfare to Work. Empowering women is key to reducing poverty and hunger".

She reminded management that even though the shifting of Early Childhood Development (ECD's) is well on its way, “We must remember that ECD's powers and responsibilities may have been shifted, but our responsibility for the social protection of our children has not”.

“As employees of the Department of Social Development, our services are essential, because they are responsive to the daily, lived experiences of the citizens of Gauteng. Based on our mandate, we must ensure that we effectively develop and implement programmes for the eradication of poverty, for social protection and social development among the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable and marginalised”,

“As employees of the Department of Social Development, our services are essential, because they are responsive to the daily, lived experiences of the citizens of Gauteng. Based on our mandate, we must ensure that we effectively develop and implement programmes for the eradication of poverty, for social protection and social development among the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable and marginalised”, MEC said.